The Translation and Interpreting Students’ Profile in First and Final Year as a Key Element in the Development of Translator Competence

Abstract

There is a gap in empirical studies in Translation Studies addressing the process by which translator competence (TC) is acquired, what are TC main components (or competences), as well as what factors have an impact on its development in future translation students graduates (Hurtado, 2011: 168). In this paper, the research will be contextualized according to three main axes: the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and competency-based learning, the concept of the translator’s competence and the linguistic competence in translation teaching-learning process. The entry and exit student profile of Translation and Interpreting (TI) studies within Spanish Higher Education context will be described through an empirical study conducted in five Spanish TI institutions. Finally, the results obtained from more than 1,000 participants will be analyzed, focusing on the linguistic component as a basic element for the development of TC.